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Electronic Dance Music Blog

Kendra Erika let her beats talk rhythmic anatomy in her latest EDM Pop earworm, Body Language

Posted on 30 November 2024

Kendra Erika’s latest hit ‘Body Language’ is a monumental dance-pop anthem that could easily hold its own among the illustrious hits of Dua Lipa and Calvin Harris. With its kinetic euphoria pulsing through every beat, this track is a masterclass in rhythmic anatomy.

The music escalates from shimmering disco-pop crescendos to deep, heart-thumping drops, creating vortexes of ecstasy as Erika’s harmonies weave through the meticulously polished layers of the track, binding seductive hooks with a vibrancy that resonates deep within the psyche.

The success of ‘Body Language’ is evidenced by its ascent to the number two spot on the iTunes Chart and the virality of its accompanying music video, which has amassed over a million views on YouTube. This achievement is punctuated by its rotation on MTV’s “Spankin’ New” Music Video Show, signalling Erika’s undeniable impact on the EDM scene.

Further solidifying her influence, Kendra Erika has secured a distribution deal with KDM Music, expanding her reach across 19 Asian territories. Collaborations with industry heavyweights like Ellis Miah, Marvin Buessau, and the GRAMMY-nominated DJ StoneBridge, who remixed the track, underscore her pivotal role in shaping the dance music landscape.

Body Language is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Dr. Void and the Skinjob’s latest darkwave horror punk anthem, Rave to the Grave, transmits the ethereal echoes of midnight ecstasy

Posted on 16 November 2024

Step away from sonic mundanity and into the pulse of ‘Rave to the Grave’ by Dr. Void & the Skinjob’s, a track that redefines darkwave electronica with its fusion of horror punk and darkwave industrial synthpop.

The Glasgow-based Synth, Bass & Drum trio have amassed reverence through their seductively sinister discography, now home to their new EP, ‘Sexy, Scary, Doomed & Dangerous‘. With synths that drip arcane textures and beats that pulse with a life of their own, the standout single, ‘Rave to the Grave’ is a Lovecraftian incantation wrapped within a floor-filler of an earworm.

The hedonic anthem vibrates with kinetic energy and phasers capable of transfixing you to the track, allowing you to imagine Sisters of Mercy stripped of their pretence under the influence of Misfits. After just one hit, John Carpenter’s scores will never sound the same.

The manifesto from the maestros of the macabre is an invitation to lose yourself in the depths of electronic ecstasy. If you dare to descend, be prepared: this is a full-on collision with the spectral heartbeat of dark synthwave.

Rave to the Grave dropped on Halloween; experience the euphoria for yourselves via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Daniel Aether tore through the EDM scene like a ‘Tsunami’ in his latest track, featuring Princess Lourdess

Posted on 15 November 2024

If your playlist is missing a track that can thrash through the mundane with visceral intensity, ‘Tsunami’ by Daniel Aether featuring vocal lines from the salacious siren, Princess Lourdess, will fill that void.

So much more than an anthem; it’s an unapologetically soulful storm that melds afrobeat grooves, textured RnB vocals, boom-bap beats and a relentless EDM drive, allowing it to tear apart genre boundaries with hedonistic heat. Once you’re caught in the rhythmic momentum of ‘Tsunami,’ you’ll have no option but to surrender to its evocative pull.

Raised in Italy, based in Scotland, and rooted in Nigerian sounds, Aether’s cultural melting pot of influences pours seamlessly into this track. His appreciation for RnB, Afrobeats, and K-pop harmonies shines through, as does his affinity for MNEK, Little Mix, and Mariah Carey, but it’s the ad-libs and harmonies—think Destiny’s Child with a twist—that distinguishes this single. His seamless integration of influences makes the single as versatile as it is slick, complete with polished production that belies his underground indie status.

‘Tsunami’ may be a love song for volatile hearts, but it’s the refined production and sublime vocal layering that should have this track shimmering at the top of the EDM charts.

Tsunami will hit all major streaming platforms on November 15; stream the single on SoundCloud first.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jonathan Jaynes – Angels & Devils: An Ethereal EDM Dance of Duality

Posted on 7 November 2024

Jonathan Jaynes’ new single, ‘Angels & Devils (Club Version)‘, hits with big beats and a honed-to-the-nines production, enveloping listeners in a vulnerably immersive slice of etherealism. The melancholy embedded within the track is its strongest magnetic pull, drawing you into the 8-bit dreamy textures, while the rhythmic punctuations turn the earworm into an installation of danceable kinetic momentum.

‘Angels & Devils’ is a devilishly arcane invitation to lose yourself within a cinematic sonic sphere, reminding you that you are never alone in the moves you make even when it feels like the ache of disconnection is all-consuming. Even if you don’t subscribe to any particular faith, it is impossible not to find comfort in the lyrical mantras that light up the track, which is one of the most affecting exhibitions of Jaynes’ ‘happysad’ signature sound that lays catchy melodies over melancholic confessions.

This club version of ‘Angels & Devils’, originally a sad self-destructive ballad about leaving a relationship to save oneself from getting hurt, marks a new direction in his career, pursuing an EDM legacy that won’t easily be lost to history.

Stream the Club Version of Angels & Devils on SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Effy Wang: Bridging Dreamscapes and Beats in ‘Da Di Da La’

Posted on 5 November 2024

In her debut single, Da Di Da La, the up-and-coming alt-pop siren Effy Wang juxtaposed the etherealism of dream pop with the rhythmic momentum of EDM by doctoring a pulse-pounding backbeat into the arcane atmosphere of the soul-driven production.

The rush of emotions that each progression manifests couldn’t be more visceral; the way the diaphanous elements intersect with the rhythmic intensity will undoubtedly leave plenty desperate to hear more from the icon in the making who is no stranger to beguiling audiences with her live performances. Now, she’s set to take over the airwaves with her effortlessly distinctive sonic signature, which is scarp enough to etch her name into the legacy of alt-electro pop.

Da Di Da La was officially released on October 21; stream the single on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

SonicFluxx – Nomad: The Ultimate Synthscape for the New Generation of Wanderers

Posted on 5 November 2024

Blazing the same trail as Depeche Mode, The Human League and Pet Shop Boys, the independent breakthrough artist SonicFluxx exhibited his ability to craft neon-lit melodic hooks that pierce euphoria straight into the soul with his latest single and music video, Nomad.

With the 80s aesthetic incorporated into the synthscape and official video, Nomad is a retro-future odyssey of pure euphony; just one hit and you’ll be hooked on the earworm which celebrates the freedom of unchaining yourself from geographical anchors and giving into wanderlust.

By allowing his listeners to live vicariously through the eyes of a wanderer, SonicFluxx didn’t just explore the phenomenon of nomadic culture, he imbued it within every strobing synth-driven progression, attesting to the beauty of living by your own liberty.

Stream the official music video for Nomad on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ennoverse – OOT: Electrifyingly Eclectic Dub-Heavy Downtempo

Posted on 22 October 2024

In his debut single ‘OOT‘, the up-and-coming Aotearoa, New Zealand-raised artist and producer Ennoverse stitched his eclectic past into the very fabric of the entrancing instrumental while embracing his unique sonic identity.

OOT pays ode to the electronic pulses of Ratatat and Pitch Black, the disco grooves of Lindstrom, the classical arcs of Rossini and the raw hip-hop energy of The Beatnuts and Cypress Hill. Fusionism fuels the downtempo, dub-heavy beats of ‘OOT’, a track that nods to the pulsating aesthetics of the ’90s rave scenes and innovates with a modern twist.

His use of phasers, strobing synths, and reverberant basslines crafts a space where the listener is compelled to engage their rhythmic pulses and reflect in equal measure. Each element is ingeniously constructed, resulting in an instrumental that drips with funk and electrifies the senses.

While ‘OOT’ is just the beginning, it’s a powerful glimpse into what might come from Ennoverse.

OOT was officially released on October 11; stream the single on SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sink into the hypersonic synergy of Subbwell and Flowdan’s Grimey DnB track, Welcome to London

Posted on 16 October 2024

For his latest release, Subbwell, the indomitable Estonian drum and bass producer, teamed up with London’s own grime juggernaut, Flowdan, to drop their massive sonic attack, ‘Welcome to London’.

The hit is a deep dive into the city’s gritty vibe, delivered with a raw edge and polished with a high-quality production to juxtapose the dark, grimey bars that snarl over a backdrop of hypersonic drum and bass. The beats are savage—slamming, distorting, and warping under the weight of Flowdan’s delivery. He weaves through the track with a melodic flow that hits hard, perfectly synched with the wild, adrenalising energy of the builds and drops.

As for the video, think London’s streets through a Grand Theft Auto lens. It’s a cinematic piece that flips the script on how we see the city, as the camera tears through the streets, the good, the bad, and the ugly filter into the vignette that will resonate with the realities of many Londoners.

With ‘Welcome to London’, Subbwell and Flowdan throw us into the middle of London’s pulse through an unapologetic, in-your-face celebration of all things raw and real about London’s underground scene.

Stream the official music video for Welcome to London on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spyndycyt existentially unravelled over a four-to-the-floor Avant-Garde beat in ‘I Don’t Wanna Do This Anymore’

Posted on 12 October 2024

Spyndycyt’s latest single, ‘I Don’t Wanna Do This Anymore,’ amps up the sonic signature scribed through his prior releases, giving the electrifying track a pulse of EBM while keeping true to his erratically eccentric vocal style as he unravels over a narrative of existentialism and frayed with chaos strobing synth lines.

As quirky and kinetically rhythmic as Neuroticfish and The Gothsicles, as experimental as, well, it’s pretty hard to draw a comparison in that domain, this latest single from Spyndycyt proves how succinctly he can command a four-to-the-floor beat that injects symphonic elements of the 90s rave scene.

It’s a broadsiding tour de force that is undoubtedly as effective at altering your brain chemistry as electroshock therapy. Bite down on this exploration of mistrust, betrayal, and the crushing, ever-growing suspicion that all your deepest and unspoken fears are true.

Contrasting the dark thematic undercurrents of being a terminal disappointment, the solo artist ensures that I Don’t Wanna Do This Anymore oscillates through euphorically rhythmic hedonism to sugar the pill you will want to swallow time and time again.

I Don’t Wanna Do This Anymore is now available to stream on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Elevated Focusion reanimated the 90s rave scene in his trippy industrial electro-pop anthem, Disco Devil

Posted on 3 October 2024

Elevated Focusion electrified the middle ground between Deadmau5 and Lords of Acid in his alt-electronica anthem, Disco Devil, which features Dime De San and closes his eclectically epic LP, Dark Nights.

With endless transgressions in style, tone and momentum, the synthesis of EDM, electronic rock and industrial pop reanimates the hedonistic euphoria of the 90s rave scene with dark beats, demonic drops, and devilishly dualistic female vox which deliver Shiny Toy Guns-esque euphony in one breath and scathing fury in the next.

Elevated Focusion’s ability to seduce the rhythmic pulses and create dancefloor-worthy anthems follows early exposure to the NY rave scene and an era of experimentation in his earlier project, Johnny Rhythms. In 2023, the Elevated Focusion moniker was born, followed by the eponymous collaborative LP, which deserved to be as revered as the Judgement Night soundtrack, Peeping Tom’s self-titled release and Chase and Status’ No More Idols LP.

Stream the Dark Nights LP, which hit the airwaves on September 20th, via Spotify now.

Connect with Elevated Focusion on Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast